Daemon Weapons
Followers and Daemons of Chaos can use two types of magical weaponry: Chaos Weapons and Daemon Weapons. Chaos Weapons have relatively limited magical powers which are part of the blade of the weapon. These are determined randomly for each blade. While a weapon generated using the system presented here can be quite powerful, for the most part it modifies the abilities and skills of its bearer. A Daemon Weapon, on the other hand, has abilities and powers of its own, based on the Daemon that is bound within the blade. Daemon Weapons are the most terrible of all the arcane devices used by the followers and Daemons of Chaos. Each rune-carved blade is a servant of the Dark Powers in its own right. Bound within the metal of the blade, and imprisoned there for an eternity, is the spirit of a Daemon. Each blade, driven on by its Daemonic occupant, serves only the interest of its Chaos god. A Daemon Weapon reaps souls for the glory of its master. Daemon Weapons are forged at the very heart of the Chaos Wastes, where the Chaos Void and the Wastes (which are still part of the 'real' world) wash against each other. Here, in the heatless fire of the Void, the blades are smelted, forged on the soul-anvil of a still living servant of Chaos, tempered in the screams of the doomed, and quenched in innocence. Once the blade has been inscribed with dread runes, the (sometimes willing) spirit of a Daemon is bound within the blade, giving it a life of its own. The weapon is then carried forth into the Chaos Wastes and presented to its wielder, a symbol of immortal approval and power. Such weapons are granted to only the most powerful of a Chaos god's servants: Greater Daemons, Daemon Princes (Champions who have achieved Daemonhood), and still-mortal Champions Of Chaos. Possession of a Daemon Weapon is, of course, enough to grant any creature wielding it considerable power. Throughout this section, the terms blade and weapon are used to designate Daemon Weapons. Daemon Weapons have special properties regardless of their physical shape. Creating A Daemon Weapon A Daemon Weapon is created especially for the Daemon or Champion who is to bear it. In the case of Champions of Chaos, the Daemon Weapon may only be gained as a reward. When a Daemon Weapon is created, it is usually in the form of a sword, although other Daemon Weapons do exist (see Axes Of Khorne). Alternatively, you may roll a D10 and consult the following table to determine the form of the blade. Daemon Weapons are never made in the form of missile weapons. Once the nature of the blade has been determined, the type of Daemon bound within the weapon should be considered. This is also determined randomly, using the following table. A blade is created for a Daemon or Champion by a patron Chaos Power. The type of Daemon bound into the blade is always of a type appropriate to the Chaos God in question, i.e. Khorne's followers always receive blades with Daemons of Khorne trapped within them. Roll a D100: Once the profile and Chaos Attributes of the Daemon have been generated they should be noted down. These have a direct effect on the properties of the Daemon Weapon in question. Properties Of Daemon Weapons Common Properties Of Daemon Weapons Daemon Weapons have certain common properties, regardless of the nature of the Daemon trapped within the blade. # A Daemon Weapon has a daemonic aura which is immediately obvious to any wizard or sorceror who touches it. # A Daemon Weapon can cause damage to creatures listed as being immune to non-magical weapons. Its effects can not be avoided by a magical saving throw. # A Daemon Weapon dispels any Aura on contact. # A Daemon Weapon has a bonus to hit which is equal to the bound Daemon's number of A, i.e. +10 to hit for each A'. # The bearer of a Daemon Weapon may use the bound Daemon's 'WP for any required tests if this is higher than his own. # Any Wound caused by a Daemon Weapon will kill its target. # A slain target's Strength is completely drained by a Daemon Weapon. The stolen S''' is divided into three equal parts. (Fractions are rounded down.) One third is given to the Chaos god who made the blade in the first place, and is simply lost. One third is absorbed by the blade. This is added to a running total of '''S for the blade, which is retained for 24 hours or until the blade is Sated. Each stolen S''' increases damage by 1. One third is given to the blade's bearer, and is added to the bearer's '''S for 24 hours. Although increasing the bearer's S''' above 10 has no additional effect, a note of a mortal bearer's stolen '''S should be kept. Once the bearer's total stolen S''' reaches three times his original characteristic he collapses for 24 hours. For example, a Champion of Khorne with '''S 7 can only receive 21 points of stolen S''' before collapsing. Daemons who carry Daemon Weapons can accept any amount of stolen '''S without ill-effect. Individual Properties A Daemon Weapon has all the abilities and powers of the Daemon bound within it, in addition to those described above. For example, a blade could fly using the flight profile of its bound Daemon. However, some powers may not be applicable to the blade: a gore or tail attack, for example. A Daemon Weapon may cast spells if the Daemon within it has magical abilities. The S''' of any creature slain using magic is not stolen by the blade. In general you will have to decide whether the abilities, powers and attributes of a Daemon are usable when it is trapped within a weapon. Powers related directly to '''A should be disallowed, as the blade's own abilities in that area outshine any a Daemon might possess. Other powers, such as regeneration, flight, or psychological effects should be allowed and the benefits passed on to the bearer of the weapon. Sated Daemon Weapons And Killing Fury A Daemon Weapon can only absorb 5D10 S''' points before it becomes sated with stolen power. This total of '''S points is determined when the blade is created. When the blade has become sated, it has had its fill of doomed souls and becomes dormant for 24 hours. During this time the Daemon Weapon does not have a to hit bonus or the ability to automatically slay a struck opponent. It is simply an enchanted blade with the power to hit creatures immune to non-magical weapons. However, its bearer does retain any stolen S''' passed on to him by the blade before it became sated. Before a Daemon Weapon becomes sated, it will enter a killing fury, possibly infecting its bearer with the same lust for blood and souls. One a blade has absorbed half its limit of stolen '''S, it will enter a killing fury. When the blade reaches this point, its bearer must make a WP test each time an enemy is slain. If and when one of these tests is failed, the bearer enters a killing fury, sucked into the blade's greed for souls. The bearer must attack the nearest enemy each turn until the blade becomes sated. If there are no enemies visible within 100 yards, the bearer must attack friendly troops in their place. Once the weapon is sated, the killing fury ends and the bearer is free to act as he wishes once again. If, however, during the killing fury the bearer spends three rounds without killing anything (possibly because there are no targets within reach), the blade will turn upon him. Tremendous waves of pain will wash out of the weapon, halving all the bearer's characteristics for 24 hours. Releasing A Bound Daemon It is possible to release a Daemon from the weapon that holds it. The Daemon will emerge from a blade if its bearer is slain, on request, or when called forth by its Chaos god (this must be at the GM's discretion). Casting a Summon spell of the appropriate magic level will also cause a Daemon to emerge from a Daemon Weapon. Daemon Princes and Random Daemons within Daemon Weapons are treated as Greater Daemons. A Daemon will also emerge from a blade to protect its 'home' under certain circumstances. It will attack the nearest target (or the creature that is causing it offence) if, for example, the blade is picked up by anyone other than the original bearer. The Daemon might also emerge if the bearer of the weapon does not obey the tenets of his god's faith, e.g. a Champion of Khorne allows an enemy to live when he could have been killed. The Daemon will appear in its normal form up to 6 yards from the blade's bearer. While it is free, the blade is dormant, as described in the section above. The Daemon will fight in its natural form, with its natural abilities, for D6 rounds against the bearer's enemies. No S''' is stolen from wounded targets while a Daemon is in its natural form. After this period, the Daemon's reactions become uncertain. Roll a D100 and consult the following table. Whenever the Daemon emerges from its blade, its reaction should be determined. Daemons are fickle creatures, at best, and rarely act in the same fashion on two separate occasions. Multiple Daemon Swords It is possible for Champions of Chaos to receive more than one Daemon Weapon as a reward for their service. A Champion can carry two Daemon Weapons into battle if he wishes, or give one of them to a member of his retinue. If the Champion receives a third Daemon Weapon, he may wish to bind the two previous blades into a single, supreme battle blade. Such a Daemon Weapon is always a two-handed sword. The profiles of the two bound Daemons in the Daemon Weapons should be added together and divided by two, giving an average profile for a new hybrid Daemon. The hybrid retains all the special powers, abilities, gifts and attributes of its two 'parents'. The stolen '''S that it can absorb is increased to 10D10. Once this has been done, the new Daemon Weapon is treated in exactly the same fashion as any other. Category:Chaos Category:Weapons Category:Rules